So, we all get that there are people, lots of people, who think that the Bentonvile Behemoth is not a good actor in the world economy, but I can’t remember the last time I came across such a visceral reaction as that from Delta2, who wrote: Walmart has been doing this for years. Although I own no Yeti products, I hope they give Walmart a good crotch punch.

Abominable Snowmen have products? No, not this Yeti, this Yeti.

What is Delta2 upset about?

Robbie Neiswanger, writing in Yeti Coolers suing Wal-Mart over ‘confusingly similar’ items for Arkansas Online, explains:

Yeti Coolers is suing Wal-Mart Stores, claiming drinkware products sold by the retailer are patent and trade dress infringements, among other complaints.

The Austin, Texas-based company, which produces and sells heavy-duty outdoor equipment such as coolers and drinkware, filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas last week.

Yeti said items sold by Wal-Mart are “confusingly similar imitations” and alleges the retailer “has purposefully advertised, promoted, offered for sale, sold and distributed, and continues to advertise, promote, offer for sale, sell and distribute drinkware products that violate Yeti’s rights.”

Martin Thoma, a principal at Little-Rock based brand leadership firm Thoma Thoma and author of Branding Like the Big Boys, described the lawsuit as a “David vs. Goliath” case with a relatively young company challenging the retail giant. Yeti was founded in 2006.

“A brand is not that tangible thing itself, but it’s everything that thing connotes and stands for and creates in the mind of the customer,” Thoma said. “So Yeti is clearly concerned that all of its intellectual property, its designs, its advertising, and its brand building are being co-opted by another manufacturer and retailer.”

Yeti’s claims against Wal-Mart involve three heavy-duty insulated drinkware items it developed, manufactures and sells—a Rambler Colster beverage holder, and 20- and 30-ounce stainless steel Rambler tumblers.

Jeff Hess: Have Coffee Will Write.

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 17th, 2016 at 0300 by Jeff Hess and is filed under Litigation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.